Chapter Nine
Kitty found herself with a stomach full of energetic butterflies.
The room she’d been given was beautiful, furnished with exquisite taste, and exactly what she would have expected to find in Mowbray House. There was a lovely pair of double doors leading to the corridor outside, and others leading to a large clothing cupboard, and possibly what might be another suite. She didn’t know.
The fact that she was sitting in the middle of such luxury didn’t mitigate the feel of her silk robe next to bare skin. Max had reminded her—no nightgown. She was to await his summons with no clothes at all.
It was all well and good for the master of the house to issue such dictates, but he clearly had no idea of how many times a maid might pop her head around the door to see if she had everything she needed. He would have to be informed that such a dictate was going to be almost impossible to obey.
But until that moment, all she could do was sit, stare at the fire, and try to quell those butterflies, who had gone from a quadrille, to a cotillion to a fast-paced, triple-time waltz.
Tonight would be her first true experience with sex. Lovemaking. Complete naked intimacy with a man.
The thought was somewhat frightening.
She knew the basics, of course. But in spite of her limited history with sensuality, the magnitude of the sensations Max had elicited in the conservatory had shocked her beyond belief. She’d daringly experimented when alone, and found some degree of pleasure as a result of her own touch. But again, compared to Max? A mere ripple on a quiet pond.
He had taken her to the middle of a raging river and turned her loose to be battered from rock to shore and back again.
And that was when she was fully dressed, in someone else’s conservatory. Here? Alone in his chamber? The butterflies commenced a violent Spanish fandango, which she recognized from a performance she’d seen at the theatre not long ago.
She could leave, of course. Just stand, dress, and write a note to Max. Although she had not known him for long, she believed he would let her go with a nod. He was not holding her hostage, or keeping her in this room under duress. That was not his style.
No, she was here of her own free will. And a stupid wager, but there was no undoing it.
Her mind wound around her situation like a plume of smoke seeking the sky. He’d said “submit” at some point…she recalled it clearly. Submit to him, to his desires. Could she do that?
She didn’t know—didn’t have enough idea of what such a thing meant.
Being a reasonably clear thinker, Kitty then asked herself a question. What do I know?
She admitted she had enjoyed Max’s kisses. When it came to that, he was extraordinarily talented as far as she was concerned.
She also knew, surprising though it was, that she’d liked being held captive with her arms above her head. She hadn’t felt helpless; she’d felt…wanted.
And she admitted to herself that when he’d lifted her skirts the thrill of his touch on her most intimate places had aroused every female nerve in her body to screaming point.
So if that was submitting to his desires? Yes. She would happily do it again and again.
A light tap on the second door to her chamber made her jump, and she crossed the soft carpet to stand in front of it. “Yes?”
“Open the door, Kitty.”
It was Max. She quickly did as he asked. “I didn’t know our rooms connected.”
He walked past her, wearing a deep green wool robe over his nightshirt. She noticed his feet were bare. “This was my mother’s room many years ago. She liked knowing my father was close enough to call if she needed him.”
“She was unwell?”
“In her later years, yes.” He glanced around, then back to her. “Your robe. Did I not say you were to be naked?”
“You did.” She found herself lifting her chin. “However, you forgot that as a woman, I am tended to far more frequently by maids than you, as a gentleman, would know. Therefore, I felt that maintaining some kind of respectability within your house was appropriate.” She took a deep breath, knowing that what she was about to do was outside of anything she’d ever imagined.
“But,” she looked down and found the tie at the waist of her robe. “I compromised.”
She slowly undid the tie, opened the garment and then let it fall from her shoulders to the ground. “I hope this is satisfactory?”
*~~*~~*
He managed to restrain a groan, but it was a close thing. She stood there, in partial shadows, all curves and skin and soft womanly perfume, bared to his gaze. He could have looked at her for hours; in fact, he might do just that at some point in their relationship.
But for now, it was the beginning and he needed to guide her as she took the first steps along the path to pleasure.
“It is acceptable, and I appreciate your telling me of the maids. You are correct…I did not realize women merited such frequent attentions.” His eyes roamed her body, lingering at the dark nest of curls at the apex of her thighs. “You are very lovely, Kitty. I shall enjoy touching you.”
“I…”
He reached out and lay a finger over her lips, closing them. “From now on, I shall tell you when to speak. Do you understand?”
A brief moment of confusion crossed her face, but then she nodded.
“Good.” He allowed himself the lightest caress of her breast, noting her tiny shiver with approval. Then he reached for her hand. “Come with me.”
Silently, she obeyed, letting him lead her through the doorway and into his suite. It was massive, as befitted the master of the house, and the bed dominated the room. Dark wood posts soared to a canopy that was rumored to have been embroidered for Charles II.
Right then, Max couldn’t have cared if it had been embroidered by Charles II. His full attention was on Kitty as her eyes took in the lush magnificence of the chamber.
“Lie on the bed, Kitty. Put your head here.” He indicated a small silk pillow he’d positioned after pulling back the heavy quilt and blankets.
She flashed him a puzzled glance, since it would put her head toward the foot of the bed, but she did as she was bid, an acceptance that was an arousal in and of itself.
“And hold on to this.” He tugged a silk cord from beneath the covers. It was tied around one bedpost and a large tassel marked one end. “Do not let go of this until I give you permission, Kitty. Do you understand? You are to hold this, with both hands, all the time.”
He was hard, of course. He couldn’t have looked at Kitty’s nude body without eliciting the characteristic male response. But he knew pure pleasure came from more than just physical satisfaction. And he was thrilled to realize that Kitty was arousing more than his cock. She was stimulating and arousing his mind, especially when she lifted her arms to grab the cord. Her breasts rose, tempting globes tipped with hard rosy peaks.
Oh the things he wanted to do to her—and with her. He had to summon all the patience he possessed; she was a lush invitation to sex, lying on his bed, her curious gaze fixed on him. Ignoring the questions he knew lay behind that look, he moved to a small table near the head of the bed and retrieved the items he’d placed there earlier.
“I am going to blindfold you, Kitty.” He returned to her side and showed her a black cravat. “You’ll find it an interesting experience, I think…”
Her mouth opened, and she drew a breath…but then she looked at him and closed it again.
He smiled. “You are doing very well. You may ask a question. One question.”
“Why, Max?”
Leave it to her to get directly to the point. He smiled. “Because you will enjoy it, and it will give me great pleasure.”
She thought about that for a moment, then met his gaze once more—and nodded.
His cock damn near jumped off his groin.
Struggling for control, Max was pleased to note his hands didn’t shake as he tied the cravat around Kitty’s head. She lifted it so that he could make sure the knot was snug and comfortable, and then lay back, unmoving as she acquainted herself with this new situation.
She was doing everything he could have hoped for and more.
Gently he leaned over her and licked one taut nipple.
She jumped, letting a tiny squeak escape from her throat as she gasped.
“As you see, Kitty, I shall be touching you as I please, using your body as I please, and arousing us both. You will have to listen, to feel, to use your other senses at this time. It’s a game of sorts, I suppose, but it is also in my control. You are now mine. Completely mine. You will do as I say, and you will remain silent, as before.”
She nodded, a brief movement, but one that reassured him she understood.
He slipped out of his robe, not daring to remove his nightshirt. Not yet. He knew she’d feel the bed dip as he clambered onto it, positioning himself at her feet.
He touched them, resting his palms on her ankles, gently rubbing them, massaging her feet, slipping his hands up her calves and then back down again.
It wasn’t hard to tell she was enjoying this touch; her muscles were relaxing as he caressed her.
He smiled.
Then he grasped her ankles firmly—and pulled them as wide apart as he could.
Before she could cry out, he leaned over and thrust his face into her tender flesh—and growled.